I often forget that Finland — unlike Sweden, Denmark, and Norway — is not a Scandinavian country. Grouped with them as “Fennoscandia,” its language sets it apart. The Scandinavian languages are mutually intelligible; Finnish is closer to Estonian.

The confusion is understandable, as Finland shares land borders with both Sweden (northwest) and Norway (north), as well as Russia (east). Estonia lies to the south across the Gulf of Finland. It is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union, and Helsinki is Europe’s most northerly capital save for that of Iceland. The capital region encompasses over a quarter of the population, and produces a third of Finland’s GDP.

As a national entity, Finland is just a century old, having become independent in 1917, though it had been an autonomous part of the Russian Empire since 1809. Before that, it had been ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 13th centuries. Largely agrarian until the 1950s, Finland industrialized after World War II, partially as a means of paying war reparations to Russia. It now has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

It has also made great progress in education, economic competitiveness, and quality of life. From 2011 to 2016, it was ranked the world’s most stable country.

Visitors to Finland will discover that the country is comprised of four distinct regions, each with its own attractions.

The Helsinki Region, on the Baltic Sea, features all the usual attractions of a major city — restaurants, shopping and culture — as well as a surprising amount of natural scenery: large parks, forests and lakes and a coastline overlooking more than 300 islands. For a bigger dose of nature, Lapland is a great place for trekking in the summer’s “midnight sun,” and features the Northern Lights in winter. Lakeland is also a natural paradise: It is Europe’s largest lake district, with small traditional towns interspersed throughout. Finally, the Coastal Areas & Archipelago return the visitor to a more populated area, one rich in culture and historical attractions, including Turku, Finland’s oldest city.